Willie Nelson & Leon Russell, One for the Road, 1979 on Columbia

The first in a series of duet albums from Willie Nelson, released in 1979. Nelson went on to release duet albums with Ray Price, Merle Haggard, Webb Pierce, and Roger Miller all in the early 80s. (There were also many more later of course).

Double LP from two of my musical heroes – joined by Bonnie Raitt on “Trouble in Mind.” Some find it all a bit schmalzy but I really enjoy it. (Of course Willie famously recorded “Song For You” back on 1973’s Shotgun Willie).

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is a Pitman pressing on “Columbia all round” red labels.

#1970s #1979 #bonnieRaitt #duet #leonRussell #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #willieNelson #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

Japan, Japan, 1982 on Epic

Compilation album released (in the US) on Epic in 1982, bringing together most of Tin Drum plus some from Gentlemen Take Polaroids. (Neither of those was formally released in the US until 1994). I’ve got a UK Tin Drum but still looking for a good vinyl copy of Gentlemen.

One the best underrated bands of the era – though I feel like now people have come to understand how wonderful they are. David Sulvian in particular is just a master.

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is a Terre Haute pressing.

#1980s #1982 #davidSylvian #epic #japan #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #virgin #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Zuma, 1975 on Reprise

Seventh studio album from Neil Young, and the first credited with Crazy Horse after Danny Whitten died in 1972.

The individual song credits have two songs not attributed to Crazy Horse: “Pardon My Heart” (credited just to Neil Young) and “Through My Sails” (credited “with Crosby, Stills & Nash”).

“Cortez the Killer” is a 7 and a half minute epic, and “Danger Bird” is also nearly 7 minutes – but this is Neil and Crazy Horse in full form and they sound great.

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is an original Santa Maria pressing on orange Reprise labels.

#1970s #1975 #crazyHorse #crosbyStillsAndNash #neilYoung #neilYoungCrazyHorse #reprise #santaMaria #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

Michelle Shocked, Captain Swing, 1989 on Mercury

This was Shocked’s third LP and the follow up to the massively successful Short Sharp Shocked which came out in 1988. It’s (deliberately) all over the place in genre but wonderful.

The “hidden” track is also present on the vinyl – “Russian Roulette” is not listed on the labels but plays after “Must Be Luff.”

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is a Specialty Records pressing on Mercury labels.

#1980s #1989 #mercury #michelleShocked #specialtyRecordPressing #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

Tom Waits, The Heart of Saturday Night, 1974 on Asylum

Second studio album from Tom Waits, following Closing Time, and the first produced by Bones Howe. An absolute must have.

Much of Waits’ catalog is now being reissued but I love a chance to find early pressings of these in good shape. It’s amazing to me how timeless he is – this could come out today and still feel fresh, or could be from the 60s.

My copy—via Worcester Record Riot—is a 1976 Specialty Records Pressing with the original inner liner.

#1970s #1974 #asylum #bonesHowe #tomWaits #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

Public Enemy, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, 1987 on Def Jam

Debut studio album from Public Enemy, recorded at Spectrum City Studios and produced by Bill Stephney (of The Bomb Squad, with co-producers Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee) with Rick Rubin credited as Executive Producer.

Still looking for a good vinyl copy of It Takes a Nation of Millions. Def Jam was distributed by CBS/Columbia (thus the Columbia on the labels).

My copy, via the Worcester Record Riot, is a 1987 Carrollton GA pressing with the BFC catalog number on the spine.

#1980s #billStephney #carlRyder #carrolltonGa #columbia #defJam #hankShocklee #hipHop #hipHop2 #publicEnemy #theBombSquad #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

John Prine, Diamonds in the Rough, 1972 on Atlantic

This was Prine’s sophomore album, following the self-titled John Prine. Prine is joined by Steve Goodman, David Bromberg, Steve Burgh, and Dave Prine.

I just love Prine’s songwriting: “Souvenirs,” “Yes I Guess They Oughta Name A Drink After You” and “Late John Garfield Blues” on this LP. He also does “Diamonds in the Rough” by AP Carter. Naming the LP after the one cover as a singer-songwriter is a bold move.

My copy, via the Worcester Record Riot, is a Monarch pressing with the Broadway address in the rim text.

#1970s #1972 #atlantic #davePrine #davidBromberg #johnPrine #monarch #singerSongwriter #steveGoodman #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

David Byrne, Rei Momo, 1989 on Luaka Bop / Sire / WB

David Byrne’s first “solo” album which “transforms and pays tribute to the music of Latin America.” (Solo in the sense of not with Talking heads, but with a ton of talented musicians).

The vinyl releases omit three songs that were on the CD – would be a great candidate for a deluxe vinyl reissue 2xLP as I don’t think a new LP edition has been made since 1989.

My copy—via the Worcester Record Riot—is a 1989 direct-metal-mastering pressing via Specialty Records

#1980s #1989 #davidByrne #luakaBop #specialtyRecordPressing #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #warnerBros #worcesterMa #worcesterRecordRiot

Maggie Rogers, Surrender, 2022 on Capitol / Debay

Rogers’ second studio album on a major label, Surrender was a component of her thesis at Harvard Divinity School.

Kid Harpoon (aka Thomas Edward Percy Hull) produced along with Rogers and gets cowroting credit on most of the tracks, sometimes with others (Del Water Gap aka S. Holden Jaffe).

My copy via the Worcester Record Riot.

#2020s #2022 #Capitol #DebaySounds #DelWaterGap #KidHarpoon #MaggieRogers #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds #WorcesterMA #WorcesterRecordRiot

Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, 1958 on Blue Note

Fantastic late 50s “hard bop” jazz record, with Clark joined by Art Farmer (trumpet), Jackie McLean (alto sax), Paul Chambers (bass), and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Recorded by Rudy Van Gelder, liner notes by Nat Hentoff. This should be in everyone’s vinyl collection whether you think of yourself as a Jazz fan or not.

The session as a whole seems to me . . . to embody Sonny’s definition […]

#1950s #1958 #75thAnniversary #ArtFarmer #BlueNote #Bop #ChrisBellman #HardBop #JackieMcLean #NatHentoff #PaulChambers #PhillyJoeJones #Reissue #RudyVanGelder #SonnyClark #WorcesterMA #WorcesterRecordRiot

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